Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 10:54:14 -0600 (CST)
From: Kevyn Jacobs
To: "Kansas Queer News [KQN]"
Subject: MANHATTAN MERCURY: GAY UMPIRE DAVE PALLONE IN MANHATTAN
UMP'S CALL: HE'S OUT OF THE CLOSET
by Mark Scott
Staff Writer
Dave Pallone's message to the world is simple: "It's OK to be
yourself."
Pallone, a former National League umpire, will speak on his
career in baseball and his life as a homosexual at 3 p.m. Monday
in the Kansas State University Union Little Theater. Pallone's
appearance is a part of K-State' "Free Your Mind Week."
"You should feel good about who you are," said Pallone during a
recent telephone interview with The Mercury. "Your sexual
orientation has nothing to do with the type of person you are."
Pallone's 10-year umpiring career in the National League ended in
1988.
"I was fired because I was gay," Pallone said.
Pallone said he considered filing suit against Major League
Baseball, but instead settled out of court.
"I decided it would be better to go on with my life," Pallone
said.
Pallone wrote his "soul searching" autobiography in 1990 entitled
"Behind the Mask." Pallone said baseball officials cited several
reasons for his dismissal.
"They said I was involved in a teenage sex ring, but it was
proved I was not," Pallone said "It was investigated and I was
cleared.
"They also said I was the third lowest rated umpire in the
league, even though the year before I was rated as the 12th best.
When you make cuts you usually start from the bottom up."
Pallone launched his umpiring career at age 19 in the minor
leagues. He became a major league umpire at age 26, which made
him the youngest umpire in major league baseball history.
Pallone's dream of becoming a major league umpire came| true as a
result of the umpire's strike of 1979. Pallone was a replacement
umpire.
"It was a difficult because knew I had to make a decision that
would offend people," Pallone said. "Do I take the job, or do I
not get the chance to become a major league umpire. "
Pallone said he was "ostracized" his entire 10-year career. But
the situation improved when he was teamed with umpires Paul Runge
and Bob Engel in 1983.
"They respected me as a person," Pallone said. "We were together
four straight years."
Pallone said a "new regime" headed by Ed Vargo changed that
comfort zone in the late 1980s. "Vargo was a union man and he
took me from that crew," Pallone said.
Pallone said very few people knew he was homosexual prior to his
dismissal from major league baseball in 1989.
"I told very few people," Pallone said. "The National League
president, Runge and Engel were the only people who knew. But
there were rumors going around."
Pallone, who lives in Seattle, said during the interview that the
current major league baseball players strike and umpires strike
has him considering a return to baseball.
"It's just something I'm thinking about," Pallone said.
Pallone said the umpiresł strike is not receiving the same level
of attention the players strike is getting.
"The umpires are not going to come back until the players come
back," Pallone said. "From what I understand, the owners don't
want to give the umpires raises. They think they can use college
umpires instead of people of my caliber, which I think is pretty
good."
Pallone thinks the major league players strike will last until
sometime in May.
"I think the players are going to hold tight," Pallone said. "And
the owners are trying to break the union. I believe the players
and owners will have to get a deal worked out."
Meanwhile, Pallone said its fine to start the regular season with
replacement players.
"There's nothing wrong with it," Pallone said. "The major league
players are on strike and have made a conscious decision to walk
out. These other players shouldn't be blamed for doing it
(playing)."
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FROM THE MANHATTAN MERCURY
FRONT PAGE
SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 1995
REPRINTED WITHOUT PERMISSION
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